Automatic analyzer and reagent storage thereof

Abstract

A holding unit pivotally holds a plurality of reagent bottles which store reagents. A reagent case houses the holding unit and has an edge higher than at least the housed holding unit. The reagent cover is a cover for closing the reagent case. A cooling unit is mounted on one outer surface of the reagent case and cools air in the reagent case closed by the reagent cover through one outer surface. A circulating unit is mounted on the holding portion and circulates the cooled air in the reagent case closed by the reagent cover.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A reagent storage for an automatic analyzer, the storage comprising:
 a holding unit which pivotally holds a plurality of reagent bottles which store reagents; 
 a case which houses the holding unit and has an edge higher than at least the housed holding unit; 
 a cover for closing the case; 
 a cooling unit which is mounted on a first portion of the case and cools air in the case, wherein the first portion of the case is a continuous wall on an outer surface of the case which prevents air from entering into the case from the cooling unit; and 
 a circulating unit which is mounted on the holding unit and which circulates the cooled air in the case closed by the cover, the circulating unit moving air towards the cooled outer surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The storage according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a wall surface member having a bottom surface and a side surface in which a first opening is formed, and in which
 the wall surface member is mounted on the holding unit so as to cover the circulating unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The storage according to  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the first opening is formed at or below a substantially central portion of the held reagent bottle in a height direction. 
     
     
       4. The storage according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the cooling unit cools air contained in a first space between an inner bottom surface of the case and a bottom surface of the holding unit, and 
 the circulating unit makes the cooled air flow into a second space formed between the adjacent reagent bottles by drawing air contained in a third space in the wall surface member and discharging the drawn air into the first space. 
 
     
     
       5. The storage according to  claim 4 , wherein the circulating unit is placed in one of the first space and the third space. 
     
     
       6. The storage according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the holding unit has a rack which holds portions of a side surface and bottom surface of the reagent bottle placed on an outer circumference of the third space and a tray which holds the rack from below, and 
 the first space is connected to the second space through a third opening provided in the tray and a fourth opening provided in a bottom portion of the rack. 
 
     
     
       7. The storage according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the rack has a fifth opening provided at a position near the wall surface member, and 
 the second space is connected to the third space through the first opening and the fifth opening. 
 
     
     
       8. The storage according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the rack comprises a partition plate which separates the adjacent reagent bottles by a predetermined interval, and 
 the second space is formed by the adjacent reagent bottles and a lower surface of the partition plate. 
 
     
     
       9. The storage according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the holding unit comprises a first magnet for detachably holding the rack on the tray and a second magnet or magnetic member which is engaged with the first magnet, and 
 the first magnet is fixed on an upper surface of the tray, and the second magnet or magnetic member is fixed on a lower surface of a bottom portion of the rack. 
 
     
     
       10. The storage according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the rack comprises a first rack which holds the reagent bottle arranged on the circumference and a second rack which is arranged near an outer circumference of the first rack and holds the reagent bottle, and 
 the tray comprises a first tray which pivotally holds the first rack and a second tray which pivotally holds the second rack. 
 
     
     
       11. The storage according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the holding unit has a bottom portion which holds the reagent bottle, and 
 the bottom portion has a second opening for circulating the cooled air. 
 
     
     
       12. The storage according to  claim 1 , wherein a projection which prevents the cooled air from flowing to above the reagent bottle is formed on an inner side surface of the case. 
     
     
       13. A reagent storage for an automatic analyzer, the storage comprising:
 a case which houses a reagent bottle storing a reagent; 
 a cover for closing the case; 
 a holding unit which is arranged in the case closed by the cover so as to be spaced apart from the case and the cover and hold the reagent bottles which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval; and 
 a circulating unit connecting a first space between an inner bottom surface of the case and a bottom portion of the holding unit to a second space formed between adjacent reagent bottles held by the holding unit, and connecting the second space to a third space formed near a center of the holding unit, and which aspirates air from the third space by moving the air into the first space, and discharges air cooled in the first space into the second space. 
 
     
     
       14. The storage according to  claim 13 , wherein the circulating unit is placed in one of the first space and the third space. 
     
     
       15. The storage according to  claim 13 , wherein an inner side surface of the case is provided with a projection which prevents air contained in a fourth space between the side surface and the holding unit from flowing to above the reagent bottle. 
     
     
       16. The storage according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the holding unit comprises a rack which holds portions of a side surface and the bottom surface of the reagent bottle arranged on an outer circumference of the third space and a tray which movably holds the rack from below, and 
 the first space is connected to the second space through a first opening provided in the tray and a second opening provided in a bottom portion of the rack. 
 
     
     
       17. The storage according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the tray comprises a disk which holds the rack and has a third opening in a central portion and a tray cover which forms the third space by covering the third opening from above and is arranged near the rack, and 
 the second space is connected to the third space through the third opening and a fourth opening provided in the tray cover. 
 
     
     
       18. The storage according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the rack comprises a partition plate which separates the adjacent reagent bottles by a predetermined interval, and 
 the second space is formed by the adjacent reagent bottles and a lower surface of the partition plate. 
 
     
     
       19. The storage according to  claim 16 , wherein the rack has a fifth opening which connects a fourth space between an inner side surface of the reagent case and the holding unit to the second space. 
     
     
       20. The storage according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the holding unit comprises a first magnet for detachably holding the rack on the tray and a second magnet or magnetic member which is engaged with the first magnet, and 
 the first magnet is fixed on an upper surface of the tray and the second magnet or magnetic member is fixed on a lower surface of a bottom portion of the rack. 
 
     
     
       21. The storage according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the rack comprises a first rack which holds the reagent bottle arranged on a circumference and a second rack which holds the reagent bottle arranged near an outer circumference of the first rack, and 
 the tray comprises a first tray which pivotally holds the first rack and a second tray which pivotally holds the second rack. 
 
     
     
       22. The storage according to  claim 13 , wherein the circulating unit includes at least one revolving blade. 
     
     
       23. An automatic analyzer comprising:
 a reagent storage which stores a reagent; and 
 a measurement unit which measures a mixture of the reagent and a sample, the reagent storage comprising: 
 a holding unit which pivotally holds a plurality of reagent bottles which store reagents; 
 a case which houses the holding unit and has an edge higher than at least the housed holding unit; 
 a cover for closing the case; 
 a cooling unit which is mounted on a first portion of the case and cools air in the case, wherein the first portion of the case is a continuous wall on an outer surface of the case which prevents air from entering into the case from the cooling unit; and 
 a circulating unit which is mounted on the holding unit and which circulates the cooled air in the case closed by the cover, the circulating unit moving air towards the cooled outer surface. 
 
     
     
       24. An automatic analyzer which dispenses a sample and a reagent and measures a mixture thereof, the apparatus comprising a reagent storage having a case which houses a reagent bottle storing the reagent and a cover which covers the case, and the reagent storage comprising:
 a holding unit which is arranged in the case closed by the cover so as to be spaced apart from the case and the cover and hold the reagent bottles which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval; 
 a cooling unit which cools the case; and 
 a circulating unit connecting a first space between an inner bottom surface of the case and a bottom portion of the holding portion to a second space formed between adjacent reagent bottles held by the holding unit, and connecting the second space to a third space formed near a center of the holding unit, and which aspirates air from the third space by moving the air into the first space, and discharges air cooled in the first space into the second space.